Keep Holding On
by Tara Azzan
Summary: Padme and Obi-Wan can make it through anything as long as they are together.
This is my first short story.
I do not own Star Wars.  
The song is Keep Holding On by Avirl Lavigne and Dr. Luke

* * *

You're not alone  
Together we stand  
I'll be by your side  
You know I'll take your hand  
When it gets cold

Padme walked though the palace gardens, enjoying the peace of the evening.  
She didn't see the newly knighted Jedi until she was almost upon him and he looked up from where he sat startled.  
She was about to apologize for the intrusion when she saw the tears in his eyes.  
"Knight Kenobi." she said moving closer in concern.  
Seeming to realize that she had seen the tears, he quickly turned his head away and his hand moved to wipe them away.  
She almost asked if he was alright, but realized that, that was a rather silly question in face of his tears and the recent death of his Master.  
"Is there something I can do for you, your highness?" he asked turning back to look at her and even though the tears were gone from his eyes she could see the deep sorrow in them and he seemed to be trying desperately to not let it show.  
She stared at him. What did you say to someone who was clearly grieving, but didn't seem to want anyone to know.  
"No, there is nothing." she said at last. "May I sit with you?" she asked after a moment. Even if she couldn't make him feel better, maybe she could just let him know he wasn't alone.  
He nodded and slid to one side of the bench, she sat down and for a while they just sat there both looking out over the garden.  
She glanced at him and saw that yet again there were tears sliding down his cheeks, but now he didn't seem aware of them.  
Before she really thought it through, she reached over and took his hand in hers.  
He looked down startled and then his eyes lifted to look into hers.  
"I know that I did not know Qui-Gon the way you did and I don't know how you feel, but you are not alone."  
"His eyes stared into hers and she was unsure if she had said the right thing, but then he hadn't pulled his hand away, so she counted that as a good thing.  
"Thank you." he said at last and they lapsed into silence.  
She didn't know why, but she felt connected to this young Jedi Knight in a way that she had never felt connected to anyone before.  
She rested her head on his shoulder, she felt him tense, but then a moment later he relaxed again.  
"If you ever need someone to talk to." she said "I'll be here for you."

And it feels like the end  
There's no place to go  
You know I won't give in  
No, I won't give in

Padme blinked in the bright light as she and Anakin were brought out into the arena. She knew she could very well die here, that she had failed in rescuing Obi-Wan and that he would die too.  
But despite all this, she would not give in.  
"What took you so long?" Obi-Wan asked Anakin from where he stood chained to one of the big poles, with his hands above his head.  
"Well we did have to relay your message to the Council first, before we decided to rescue you ourselves." Anakin replied with a grin and the guards pulled them from the cart.  
"Good job." she heard Obi-Wan say as she twisted in the guards grip so she could slip a hair pin from her hair and into her sleeve.  
"As soon as she was chained up she stared working on freeing herself, not really giving any heed to what was going on around her.  
One hand free, she turned toward the pole and used the chain to climb it. As soon as she reached the top she took a look around.  
Both Obi-Wan and Anakin were still chained up. She took note of three beasts that had been prodded out into the arena. A Reek, an Acklay and a Nexu.  
The Nexu was already crouching at the bottom of her pole, it jumped part way up and began to climb from there.  
She quickly went about freeing her other hand, but before she could succeed, it had reached the top. It clawed at her and pain flared across her back. She swung part of the chain at it and caught it in the face, knocking it down the pole a bit. She then used the chain and swung down kicking it in the side. The Nexu lost it's grip and fell to the sandy floor below.  
She knew it wouldn't give up so quickly, so she pulled herself back up to the top and succeeded in freeing her hand before it came after her again. She looked down at it and saw that it was about to jump up again when the Reek charged at it trampling it into the ground.  
"Jump." Anakin called up and she quickly complied and winced slightly as she land behind him.  
She turned her head scanning for Obi-Wan, she soon saw him facing the Acklay, though the creature seemed to be backing away from him and she saw that it was wounded.  
"Obi-Wan!" she shouted and his head turned to look at them and then he ran toward them jumping up to land behind her.  
Her hand reached back to rest on his leg. She felt much better now that they were all together, but then her heart sank as battle droids marched out surrounding them.  
She felt Obi-Wan's hands grip her hand that still rested on his leg and she knew he wasn't giving up yet, even though it felt like the end, like there was nothing they could do to save themselves.  
She felt better knowing it.

So far away  
I wish you were here  
Before it's too late  
This could all disappear

Padme stared out across the Coruscant skyline at the Jedi Temple. She knew Obi-Wan was not there, knew that he was far away on some planet fighting for his life and those of the clones who fought with him.  
From all reports it wasn't going well and Anakin had told her that they had lost contact with him.  
She had not realized how she felt about him until Anakin had told her this.  
Not realizing how much she loved him until it hit home that he might not come back, that he could die out there not knowing about her love for him.  
She knew he might not feel the same; knew that he was a Jedi and that even if he did feel the same, they could never be together.  
But she still wanted him to know. Wished he was here so she could tell him.  
Tell him before it was too late, before all chances disappeared.  
She felt more than anything that he needed to know.  
She bit her lip and tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to come.

Before the doors close  
And it comes to an end  
With you by my side, I will fight and defend  
I'll fight and defend

Padme stared at Anakin a determined look in her eyes, she would not back down.  
"I will not allow you to come with me into the middle of a war zone." Anakin said. "You must stay here with the other senators."  
"I'm not asking you to allow me!" she snapped. "I told you I am coming with you and I don't care what you say. I can take care of myself."  
She hadn't seen Obi-Wan once in the three months that had past since she had realized she loved him and she knew he was out there. So there was nothing and no one that would keep her from going out there, not even Anakin.  
They stood glaring at each other for several minutes before Anakin gave a very frustrated sigh.  
"Alright!" he exclaimed. "But only because I don't have time for this! And you had better stick close."  
She couldn't help but smile slightly as she followed him and the clones outside.  
She pulled out her blaster and joined the fight with them, while she scanned for any sign of Obi-Wan. Her best guess was that he was on the other side of the battle field and she didn't know how she was going to get there.  
She kept with Anakin as he fought, she wasn't sure how much time had passed, when somehow she got separated from Anakin and her blaster got knocked from her grip.  
Then just before all chances were gone and she was sure her life had come to an end, Obi-Wan was there slicing though the battle droids.  
"What are you doing here?" he asked as he deflected the blaster fire from hitting them.  
She quickly found her blaster and found herself back to back with Obi-Wan.  
"I was looking for you." she said quickly as she took out a droid.  
"For me?" he asked and she heard the confusion in his voice. "Why?"  
"Because I have to tell you something and–" she was cut off as Obi-Wan pushed her into the ground and deflected the blaster bolt that would have hit her, back into the battle droid it had come from.  
"And it couldn't wait until after the battle?" he asked as he helped her back to her feet.  
"No," she said. "I have already been wait three months and I don't want to take the chance that something might happen to you and I would never get to tell you."  
"Well then are you going to tell me?" he asked. "Or are you just going to keep talking about telling me?"  
Now that it came down to it Padme wasn't sure if the middle of a battle field was the best place to tell him how much she loved him, but at the same time she didn't want to wait and at least this way if he did feel the same way she wouldn't have to see his face when he told her.  
"I know you probably don't feel the same and that even if you did you're a Jedi and you are not allowed to marry, but I still want you to know that I–" she was cut off again, when he suddenly turned toward her and pushed her behind some rocks. There was a huge explosion and dirt and smaller rocks rained down on them.  
"Are you alright?" he asked and she nodded.  
He was about to stand back up, but she grabbed his arm and he turned to look at her.  
"I love you." she gasped out.  
It felt like forever passed as he stared at her, but in truth it wasn't even a minute.  
At last he dropped back into a crouch beside her and looked directly into her eyes and she felt her heart leap.  
"I love you too." he said and then leaned forward and kissed her.  
She felt as if she could fly.  
He stood up, pulling her up with him. "Come on." he said. "We had better get back to the battle before the droid army finds their way back here.  
Side by side they rejoined the battle.

Hear me when I say, when I say I believe  
Nothing's gonna change  
Nothing's gonna change destiny  
Whatever's meant to be will work out perfectly

Padme stared out at the Jedi Temple, it was something she found herself doing a lot in the last two years. Because he was a Jedi, she had had to be content with just knowing how much he loved her. So even when he was far away she felt closer to him when she looked out her window and saw The Jedi Temple standing out above the rest of the Coruscant skyline.  
She sighed and turned away and then jumped in surprise.  
Obi-Wan grinned at her. "You didn't know I was back?"  
"No." she said with a laugh as she jumped into his arms.  
He laughed too as he caught her. "I've missed you." he whispered into her hair.  
"I've missed you too." she pulled back just enough so she could look up into his face. "How long do you have this time? She asked.  
"A few hours tonight before I have a council meeting and then I leave again tomorrow for the outer rim, but not until the afternoon, so I might be able to come by in the morning." he told her.  
"Well that's more time then the last time you were on Coruscant." she said with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.  
"This war will end someday and if we are both still alive when it does, I will leave the Jedi Order and then we will have all the time in the galaxy." he said with a smile.  
"If." Padme said, staring at him. "We will both survive this Obi-Wan. Nothing can change destiny."  
"Destiny?" he asked with a questioning look.  
"Or as you might call it the will of the Force, but I believe that whatever's meant to be will work out perfectly." she told him. "And I believe we are meant to be."  
He searched her eyes for a moment before he said. "Perhaps your right."  
"Of course I'm right." she said with a teasing smile and he laughed.

Keep holding on  
Cause you know we'll make it through  
We'll make it through  
Just stay strong  
Cause you know I'm here for you  
I'm here for you  
There's nothing you could say  
Nothing you could do  
There's no other way when it comes to the truth  
So keep holding on  
Cause you know we'll make it through  
We'll make it through

Padme rushed into the room where Obi-Wan sat with Master Yoda, they both looked up and Obi-Wan stood up.  
As much as she just wanted to rush over to Obi-Wan and hug him, because she had been so afraid she had lost him, when she had seen The Jedi Temple going up in smoke and heard about the supposed Jedi rebellion, but since Master Yoda was here. She put on her senators mask.  
"Master Yoda, Master Kenobi, it is a relief to see you both alive." she said.  
"Good to see you it is, Senator Amidala." Master Yoda said with a small smile.  
They both looked behind her and she looked behind her as Bail Organa entered.  
"Into hiding the Jedi must go." Yoda said as he slid off the chair and then turned to look at Obi-Wan. "Remember Obi-Wan, What I told you, you must."  
"Yes Master Yoda." Obi-Wan said with a bow.  
Yoda nodded his head to her as he past and left the room followed by Bail.  
The moment the door slid shut behind them Padme hurried to Obi-Wan hugging him and they just stood there in each others arms not saying anything.  
She could feel him shake slightly as if he was crying and she hugged him tighter.  
"Well make it though this." she whispered against him.  
He pulled back slightly and she looked up into his face and saw the silent tears running down his cheeks.  
"Their all gone." he whispered and his voice came out slightly choked. "I felt so many Jedi die."  
"What about Anakin?"  
"I don't know." he said looking away. "I would have thought that I would know if he were dead, but if he survived...Where is he? We should have heard from him, but Bail has had not been able to contact him."  
"If you didn't feel him die, then he's out there somewhere and we are going to find him." Padme said as she reached up and turned Obi-Wan's face back toward her.  
"Didn't you hear what Master Yoda said? The Jedi must go into hiding. I can't look for him and you can't stay with me. You are a Senator and must return to Coruscant."  
"I am staying with you Obi-Wan and there is nothing you can say or do that will make me change my mind." Padme said firmly.  
He opened his mouth to protest, but then closed it again. He knew her well enough to know she would not change her mind.  
"Alright." he said at last.  
"We will make it through this Obi-Wan as long as we're together and we keep holding on. We will find Anakin."  
Obi-Wan nodded. "Since we are staying together Padme, Will you marry me?"  
Padme gave a choked sob half laugh and kissed him. When she pulled back she whispered. "Of course I'll marry you."


End file.
